The present invention generally relates to a tamper-resistant microchip assembly which may be used to, for example, confirm the authenticity of the source of a product. The tamper-resistant microchip assembly may further contain information related to the origin of the product, vintage, geographic origin, bottle size, age and/or other characteristics of the product. The tamper-resistant microchip assembly is particularly suitable for use with, for example, the production and distribution of wine.
The current trend in technology and industry is to provide Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to automatically identify and locate objects. The system can be used to relay, store and remotely retrieve data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. RFID tags are often attached to or incorporated into a product to identify the product by radio waves. In order for the identification system to work, RFID tags generally contain silicon chips and antennas. Passive tags require no internal power source, whereas active tags require a power source.
Active tags can generally transmit data at a higher power level than passive tags. Accordingly, active tags are more suitable for use in more highly “RF challenged” environments, such as underwater or under a solid surface, such as metal. In addition, active tags can generally be detected at a much farther range than passive tags. For example, it is not uncommon for an active tag to be detectable up to one hundred meters away from the RFID reader. Because active tags require a power source, the battery associated with the active tag will eventually die. However, under certain circumstances, an active tag can have a shelf life of up to 10 years. Another advantage of active tags over passive tags is that active tags are generally capable of storing more data than passive tags. Currently, the smallest active tags are about the size of a coin and cost only a few dollars. Unlike active tags, passive tags obtain their power to activate and respond from the electronic field (radio waves) transmitted by the reader-interrogator.
The RFID tag may contain an electronic microchip having a memory portion, permanently attached to a substrate having a planar antenna. The memory portion stores information and may have a unique identifier number which operates at a specific frequency. Information is uploaded into the memory portion of the RFID tag by means of an external scanner, which may also be used to read the information located in the memory portion of the RFID tag.
Attempts have been made to provide products with tamper-resistant RFID technology. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,283,054 to Girvin et al. discloses a method for manufacturing an RFID disabling apparatus using prefabricated, “off-the-shelf” components. The method includes: disposing a prefabricated RFID circuit and a conductive loop on a substrate, coupling a first end of the conductive loop to a first endpoint of the RFID circuit, and coupling a second end of the conductive loop to a second endpoint of the RFID circuit. An optional electronic component can be coupled between the first endpoint and the second endpoint of the RFID circuit. The RFID circuit can be an “off-the-shelf” RFID circuit. A portion of the RFID circuit can be severed to create the first endpoint and the second endpoint.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,277,016 to Moskowitz et al. discloses an invention which relates to wireless portable transponders from unauthorized interrogation by employing a mechanism for disabling reception by or from the antenna of the transponder. Transponders include RFID tags that are attached to items that a person may purchase or carry. Such transponders generally have the ability for receiving and storing electronic and other information, commonly in binary form using memories as in electronic circuits, etc. The invention is designed to provide privacy of electronic information. The tags can be protected from receiving or providing unauthorized or unwanted information. The invention provides a mechanism that permits the owner to decide when reception/interrogation of personal or other information is not desired by employing the provided mechanical disable control.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,626 to Lerch et al. discloses an identification device formed from a band of material and a non-reusable tamper-resistant fastening arranged to join opposite end regions of the band. A radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder is disposed on the band. The transponder includes an RFID circuit, such as may be formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and an antenna. First and second electrically conductive traces are coupled to different portions of the RFID transponder. The first and second traces are arranged such that the RFID transponder is disabled when the first and second electrically conductive traces come in contact with one another. Various arrangements of the conductive traces are described to achieve improved security and functionality over the prior art.
However, these patents fail to provide a tamper-resistant microchip assembly which is suitable for use in, for example, the cork of a wine bottle. More specifically, these previous tamper-resistant microchips fail to provide a reliable test for determining the authenticity of, for example, the vintage, geographic origin, age, bottle size and/or producer of a bottle of wine. A need therefore exists for a tamper-resistant microchip assembly which has the features of the present invention. Further, a need exists for a tamper-resistant microchip assembly which may be rendered inoperative the moment a bottle of wine is opened for the first time.